UKRAINIAN DEFENSE MINISTER: KIEV NOT RUSHING INTO NATO.

Ukrainian defense minister Valeri Shmarov told Interfax May 25 that Ukrainewas not planning to seek NATO membership anytime soon. His commentscame as US secretary of defense William Perry attended jointUkrainian-American military exercises near Lviv, maneuvers that are beingconducted under the alliance’s Partnership for Peace program and asUkrainian President Leonid Kuchma was emphasizing during visits to Latviaand Estonia Kiev’s interest in joining Western institutions.

Duma: Russian Troops To Stay In Moldova.